1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument such as an electronic organ, an electronic piano, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been known a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument described in Japanese Patent No. 3074794. In this keyboard device described above, a key touch feeling (reaction force against a key depression/release operation) on a front end of a key, to which a higher pitch is assigned, is set lighter in order to generate a key touch feeling similar to a key touch feeling of an acoustic piano. This keyboard device has plural hammers, each of which rocks through an engagement with the corresponding key so as to apply reaction force against the depression/release operation of the corresponding key. The plural hammers are common components. In this keyboard device, the length from the pivot point of the key, formed on a back end, to the front end of the key becomes gradually longer toward the keys on the high-pitched side from the keys on the low-pitched side. In addition, the position of the pivot point of each hammer is gradually shifted backward from the low-pitched side toward the high-pitched side, by which the distance from the pivot point of the key to the engagement position between the hammer and the key is set to be the same for all keys.
The conventional keyboard device described above has an upper-limit stopper for restricting the upward displacement of the key, the upper-limit stopper being provided posterior to the front end of the key (the end close to a performer). An engagement portion extending downward from the lower surface of the key is brought into contact with the upper-limit stopper. The key tilts such that the back end of the key becomes lower than the front end of the key during the key release state. Therefore, if the length of the engagement portion in the vertical direction is the same for plural keys, the height of the portion, which is just above the contact point of the upper-limit stopper on the top surface of each of the plural keys, becomes the same during the key release state. The shorter the key is, the larger the tilt angle of the key during the key release state becomes. Therefore, the position of the front end of the shorter key out of the plural keys is higher. As described above, the appearance is not considered in the conventional keyboard device.
The conventional keyboard device described above also has a lower-limit stopper for restricting the downward displacement of the key, the lower-limit stopper being provided posterior to the front end of the key. The lower surface of the engagement portion is brought into contact with the lower-limit stopper. Therefore, the rocking range of the front end of the shorter key, out of the plural keys, is larger. A hammer is engaged with the corresponding key at a portion posterior to the engagement portion. The pivot point of the hammer of the shorter key is closer to the engagement portion. Therefore, the contact position of the hammer with the shorter key in the key release state is higher. Accordingly, the rocking range of the hammer, engaged with the shorter key, with the key is larger. In the conventional keyboard device described above, the hammer can rock apart from the hammer. However, as described above, since the rocking range of the hammer with the rocking movement of the key is different depending upon the key with which the hammer is to be engaged, the timing of detaching the hammer from the key (or the depth of the key depression) is different according to the length of the key. The difference in the timing of detaching the hammer from the key is considered to give influence to the key touch feeling. However, the conventional keyboard device does not consider this point.
The present invention is accomplished to solve the problem involved with the appearance of the keyboard device, out of the problems of the conventional keyboard device. Specifically, the present invention aims to provide a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument having an appearance similar to an appearance of a keyboard device for an acoustic piano. For easy understanding of the present invention, a numeral of a corresponding portion in an embodiment is written in a parenthesis in the description below of each constituent of the present invention. However, each constituent of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the corresponding portion indicated by the numeral in the embodiment.
In order to attain the foregoing object, the present invention provides a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument, the keyboard device including: plural white keys and black keys (111w, 111b) that are supported by a key support portion (Kw1, 113w1, Kb1, 113b1) in order that front ends thereof rock in a vertical direction by a key depression/release operation by a performer, each white key having an edge line extending in a longitudinal direction on a crossing portion of a side face and a top face, and each black key having an edge line extending in the longitudinal direction on a crossing portion of a lower side face and an upper side face tilting inward with respect to the lower side face, wherein each of plural white keys and each of black keys include an operation portion that is depressed and released by the performer, and a drive portion (111w1, 111b1) extending downward, and a length from the front end of the operation portion to the key support portion is different among the plural white keys and black keys; plural hammers (116w, 116b), each of which is engaged with the drive portion of each of the plural white keys and the drive portion of each of the plural black keys, and each of which is supported by a hammer support portion (Hw1, 118w1, Hb1, 118b1) in order to rock with the rocking movement of each of the plural white keys and black keys; and a restricting member (120, 121) that restricts the rocking movement of the plural hammers in order to restrict the rocking range of the plural white keys and the plural black keys, wherein a vertical length of the drive portion of a first key and a vertical length of the drive portion of a second key are set to be the same, the first key and the second key being both the white keys or both the black keys out of the plural white keys and the plural black keys, and the vertical position of the hammer support portion of the first hammer engaged with the first key and the vertical position of the hammer support portion of the second hammer engaged with the second key are respectively set to a position according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, in order that the vertical positions of the front ends of the operation portions of the first key and the second key become the same in a state in which the first key and the second key are released. In a state in which stopping force of stopping the hammer by the restricting member is transmitted through the engagement portion between the key and the hammer, it is regarded that the rocking movement of the key is substantially restricted by the restricting member of the hammer. The state in which the key is released means the state where the upward displacement of the front end of the operation portion of the key is restricted.
In this case, it is preferable that the drive portion of the first key and the drive portion of the second key are respectively provided posterior to the front end of the operation portion of the first key and the front end of the operation of the second key, the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion is longer than the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, and the hammer support portion of the first hammer is located to be higher than the hammer support portion of the second hammer.
In this case, it is preferable that the drive portion of the first key and the drive portion of the second key are respectively provided anterior to the front end of the operation portion of the first key and the front end of the operation of the second key, the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion is longer than the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, and the hammer support portion of the first hammer is located to be lower than the hammer support portion of the second hammer.
In this case, it is preferable that the length from the front end of the operation portion to the back end of the plural white keys becomes shorter toward the high-pitched side from the low-pitched side, and the length from the front end of the operation portion to the back end of the plural black keys becomes shorter toward the high-pitched side from the low-pitched side.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are adjacent white keys, and the edge line of the black key between the first key and the second key is located between the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key, in a state in which the first key, the second key, and the black key are released.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are adjacent white keys, and the edge line of the black key between the first key and the second key is located below the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key, in a state in which the first key, the second key, and the black key are depressed, and the rocking movements of the first key, the second key, and the black key are restricted. The state in which the rocking movement is restricted means the state where the same load is applied to the front end of the white key and to the front end of the black key, and the rocking movement of the key is restricted, for example. The present invention also includes the case where a part of the edge line of the black key on the front end is located below the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key.
According to the present invention, the vertical position of the hammer support portion is set according to the length of the key. With this structure, the vertical position of the engagement point where the key and the hammer are engaged with each other in the key release state is made different, whereby the height of the front end of the first key and the height of the front end of the second key in the key release state can be adjusted to be the same. Accordingly, the keyboard device according to the present invention has an appearance similar to an appearance of an acoustic piano in the key release state.
Another aspect of the present invention is a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument, the keyboard device including: plural white keys and black keys (211w, 211b) that are supported by a key support portion (Kw2, 213w1, Kb2, 213b1) in order that front ends thereof rock in a vertical direction by a key depression/release operation by a performer, each white key having an edge line extending in a longitudinal direction on a crossing portion of a side face and a top face, and each black key having an edge line extending in the longitudinal direction on a crossing portion of a lower side face and an upper side face tilting inward with respect to the lower side face, wherein each of plural white keys and each of black keys include an operation portion that is depressed and released by the performer, and a drive portion (211w1, 211b1) extending downward, and a length from the front end of the operation portion to the key support portion is different among the plural white keys and black keys; plural hammers (216w, 216b), each of which includes an engagement portion engaged with the drive portion of each of the plural white keys and the drive portion of each of the plural black keys, and each of which is supported by a hammer support portion (Hw2, 218w1, Hb2, 218b1) in order to rock with the rocking movement of each of the plural white keys and black keys; and a restricting member (220, 221, 221A) that restricts the rocking movement of the plural hammers in order to restrict the rocking range of the plural white keys and the plural black keys, wherein a vertical length of the drive portion of a first key and a vertical length of the drive portion of a second key are set to be the same, the first key and the second key being both the white keys or being both the black keys out of the plural white keys and the plural black keys, the longitudinal position and the vertical position of the hammer support portion of the first hammer engaged with the first key and the longitudinal position and the vertical position of the hammer support portion of the second hammer engaged with the second key are set to be the same, and a vertical position of an engagement point of the first key and the first hammer and a vertical position of an engagement point of the second key and the second hammer are respectively set to a position according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, in order that the vertical positions of the front ends of the operation portions of the first key and the second key become the same in a state in which the first key and the second key are released. In a state in which stopping force of stopping the hammer by the restricting member is transmitted through the engagement portion between the key and the hammer, it is regarded that the rocking movement of the key is substantially restricted by the restricting member of the hammer. The state in which the key is released means the state where the upward displacement of the front end of the operation portion of the key is restricted.
In this case, it is preferable that the restricting member includes an upper-limit stopper (221, 221A) restricting an upward rocking movement of the front ends of the first key and the second key, and a position of a contact point between the first hammer and the upper-limit stopper and a position of a contact point between the second hammer and the upper-limit stopper are respectively set to a position according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, in order that a rocking angle of the first hammer and a rocking angle of the second hammer in the key release state of the first key and the second key are respectively set to an angle according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the first hammer and the second hammer respectively include a contact portion (216w3, 216b3) to the upper-limit stopper, the contact portion has a contact surface extending in the longitudinal direction, the contact surface tilts with respect to a mounting surface (FR2) of the upper-limit stopper in the key release state of the first key and the second key, and the longitudinal position of the upper-limit stopper with respect to the contact portion of the first hammer and the longitudinal position of the upper-limit stopper with respect to the contact portion of the second hammer are respectively set to a position according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, in order that the vertical position of the contact point between the first hammer and the upper-limit stopper and the vertical position of the contact point between the second hammer and the upper-limit stopper are set to be the same, and that the longitudinal position of the contact point between the first hammer and the upper-limit stopper and the longitudinal position of the contact point between the second hammer and the upper-limit stopper are respectively set to a position according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the drive portion of each of the plural white keys is provided posterior to the front end of the operation portion of each of the plural white keys, the drive portion of each of the plural black keys is provided anterior to the front end of the operation portion of each of the plural black keys, and a tilting direction of the contact surface of the hammer engaged with the white key and a tilting direction of the contact surface of the hammer engaged with the black key are reverse to each other.
In this case, it is preferable that the thickness of the upper-limit stopper (221A) that is in contact with the first hammer and the second hammer is set to be a thickness according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion, in order that the vertical position of the contact point between the first hammer and the upper-limit stopper and the vertical position of the contact point between the second hammer and the upper-limit stopper are respectively set to a position according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the engagement portion of the first hammer and the engagement portion of the second hammer respectively have a base member (Fw21, Fw22, Fb21, Fb22) and a spacer (SP) mounted to the base member, and the thickness of the spacer is set according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the first hammer and the second hammer are bent in the vertical direction on the middle part in the longitudinal direction by a bending process, and a bending amount of the first hammer and the second hammer by the bending process is set according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the length from the front end of the operation portion to the back end of the plural white keys becomes shorter toward the high-pitched side from the low-pitched side, and the length from the front end of the operation portion to the back end of the plural black keys becomes shorter toward the high-pitched side from the low-pitched side.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are adjacent white keys, and the edge line of the black key between the first key and the second key is located between the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key, in a state in which the first key, the second key, and the black key are released.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are adjacent white keys, and the edge line of the black key between the first key and the second key is located below the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key, in a state in which the first key, the second key, and the black key are depressed, and the rocking movements of the first key, the second key, and the black key are restricted. The state in which the rocking movement is restricted means the state where the same load is applied to the front end of the white key and to the front end of the black key, and the rocking movement of the key is restricted, for example. The present invention also includes the case where a part of the edge line of the black key on the front end is located below the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key.
According to the present invention, the vertical position of the engagement point where the key and the hammer are engaged with each other in the key release state is made different by the structure in which the rocking angle of the hammer in the key release state is made different, the thickness of the spacer mounted to the base member is made different, and the bending amount of the hammer in the bending process is made different, whereby the height of the front end of the first key and the height of the front end of the second key in the key release state can be adjusted to be the same. Accordingly, the keyboard device according to the present invention has an appearance similar to an appearance of an acoustic piano in the key release state.
Another aspect of the present invention is a keyboard device for an electronic musical instrument, the keyboard device including: plural white keys and black keys (311w, 311b) that are supported by a key support portion (Kw3, 313w1, Kb3, 313b1) in order that front ends thereof rock in a vertical direction by a key depression/release operation by a performer, each white key having an edge line extending in a longitudinal direction on a crossing portion of a side face and a top face, and each black key having an edge line extending in the longitudinal direction on a crossing portion of a lower side face and an upper side face tilting inward with respect to the lower side face, wherein each of plural white keys and each of black keys include an operation portion that is depressed and released by the performer, and a drive portion (311w1, 311b1) extending downward, and a length from the front end of the operation portion to the key support portion is different among the plural white keys and black keys; plural hammers (316w, 316b), each of which is engaged with the drive portion of each of the plural white keys and the drive portion of each of the plural black keys, and each of which is supported by a hammer support portion (Hw3, 318w1, Hb3, 318b1) in order to rock with the rocking movement of each of the plural white keys and black keys; and a restricting member (320, 321) that restricts the rocking movement of the plural hammers in order to restrict the rocking range of the plural white keys and the plural black keys, wherein vertical positions of engagement portions between the plural white keys as well as the plural black keys and the plural hammers are set to be the same in a state in which the plural white keys and the plural black keys are released, and in a state in which a first key and a second key out of the plural white keys and the plural black keys are released, the first key and the second key being both the white keys or being both the black keys, the vertical size of the first key and the vertical size of the second key are respectively set according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion in order that the vertical positions of the front ends of the operation portions of the first key and the second key become the same. In a state in which stopping force of stopping the hammer by the restricting member is transmitted through the engagement portion between the key and the hammer, it is regarded that the rocking movement of the key is substantially restricted by the restricting member of the hammer. The state in which the key is released means the state where the upward displacement of the front end of the operation portion of the key is restricted.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are configured by combining plural components (Uw, Mw, Lw, Ub, Mb, Lb) in the vertical direction, and the vertical size of one or more components out of the plural components forming the first key and the second key is set according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the plural components forming the first key and the second key include a shock absorbing member (SA) mounted on a lower end of the drive portion, and the thickness of the shock absorbing member is set according to the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the first key to the key support portion and the distance from the front end of the operation portion of the second key to the key support portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the length from the front end of the operation portion to the back end of the plural white keys becomes shorter toward the high-pitched side from the low-pitched side, and the length from the front end of the operation portion to the back end of the plural black keys becomes shorter toward the high-pitched side from the low-pitched side.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are adjacent white keys, and the edge line of the black key between the first key and the second key is located between the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key, in a state in which the first key, the second key, and the black key are released.
In this case, it is preferable that the first key and the second key are adjacent white keys, and the edge line of the black key between the first key and the second key is located below the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key, in a state in which the first key, the second key, and the black key are depressed, and the rocking movements of the first key, the second key, and the black key are restricted. The state in which the rocking movement is restricted means the state where the same load is applied to the front end of the white key and to the front end of the black key, and the rocking movement of the key is restricted, for example. The present invention also includes the case where a part of the edge line of the black key on the front end is located below the top face of the first key and the top face of the second key.
According to the present invention, the vertical size of the first key and the vertical size of the second key are set according to the longitudinal length of the first key and the longitudinal length of the second key in order that the height of the front end of the first key and the height of the front end of the second key in the key release state are adjusted to be the same. Accordingly, the keyboard device according to the present invention has an appearance similar to an appearance of an acoustic piano in the key release state.
Still another aspect of the present invention is that the distance between a plane including the edge line of the first key and the key support portion of the first key is set to be the same as the distance between a plane including the edge line of the second key and the key support portion of the second key. In this case, it is preferable that the vertical positions of the key support portions of the first key and the second key are set to be the same. With this structure, the parts other than the parts involved with the length of the key can be made common as much as possible. This structure also simplifies the design of the support member (frame) supporting the key. This structure also facilitates the processing of the support member, whereby precision can be enhanced.